Govt mulls commission to regulate legal education

New Delhi: The Law Ministry plans to set
up a national commission to regulate various aspects of legal education in India, a job so far entrusted with the Bar Council of India.

The draft Higher Legal Education and Research Bill,
2010, prepared by the Ministry provides for creation of a
national commission to regulate various aspects of legal
education.

The bill provides for the regulation of various
aspects of higher legal education and research, grant of
recognition to law schools, colleges and institutions
imparting legal education and research.

The ministry drafted the bill to counter the HRD
Ministry`s National Commission for Higher Education and
Research Bill, which sought to include legal education under
the ambit of a single regulator for all streams of higher
education.

According to one of the clauses of the draft bill, the
ministry seeks to create a national commission comprising a
chairperson and six members to be appointed on the
recommendation of a selection panel headed by the Prime
Minister.

While there is no mention of the Bar Council of India,
other members in the selection panel would include the
Attorney General, Chief Justice of India or his nominee and
the Law Minister.
"The General Council shall advise the Commission on
the measures to be taken for connecting higher legal education
and research to the practice of professions," a provision of
the bill states.
According to 1961 Advocates Act, promotion of legal
education and laying down its standards, in consultation with
universities, has been defined as a function of the BCI.